The evaluation method for profiling a house's potential for solar power is presently manual labor-intensive. A typical house evaluation includes the required instruments and a climb atop the roof to profile the solar power potential by estimated k/W hours and expected return on investment following the assessment of roof geometry and the effect on shading from obstructions. If the house has the necessary geometric specifications and reasonable annual solar exposure, then a certain solar power system size is recommended. However, the process is time-consuming and relatively expensive.
A typical homeowner who is considering solar power must first find a listing of solar providers, and then arrange a time and date for each one of them to evaluate the house for potential. This often occurs as many as five separate times, as opinions and measurements differ between evaluations. The aggregate effect on the solar industry is considerable. From the initial inquiry through to installation, the resources spent on evaluations can run into the hundreds of dollars. This cost is ultimately passed on to consumers, for whom this is often the chief obstacle when considering solar power. In other cases, those who own houses that are perfectly situated to exploit the benefits of distributed solar power are often unaware of the investment potential. Currently, targeted demographic marketing is the primary tool used in the expansion of solar power.